Form Four students during the first day of (KCSE) Maths Paper One Exam at Agha Khan Secondary School in Mombasa County on Monday 7th November 2016. Photo/Kelvin Karani

Parents have censured education officers over failure to enforce a directive requiring schools to unconditionally release all withheld KCSE certificates.

They said many young people continue to suffer in silence because their former schools are reluctant to release to them their certificates due to huge fees arrears.

"President Uhuru Kenyatta asked schools to give out the certificates but as we speak, there are many youths who left school but have not had a chance to see their certificates," the parents, led by Solomon Mmosi, told The Standard.

Mr MMosi said it was of no use for the certificates to continue gathering dust on shelves when the owners need them to apply for jobs or even enroll in higher learning institutions.

"It is unfair to have the future of our younger people ruined just because they cannot raise school fees, something has to be done to assist them," he added.

Butere politician Habil Nanjendo said the Government should have committed to paying the fee balances.